Acrobatic toy swing.



F. c. HOWE.

ACROBATIC TOY SWING.

APPLICATION HLED MAR. 21,, 1917.

1mm 1 5. Patented Nov. 20, 1917.

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FRED C. Howe, or NEW HAVEN, CONNECTICUT,

ACROBATIC TOY SWING.

T 0 all whom may concern:

Be it known that Fnno Zen of the United States, and resident of New Haven, in the county of New Haven and State of Connecticut, has invented oer-' tain new and useful Improvements in Acrobatic Toy Swings, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to new and useful improvements in toys such as are employed for the amusement of children as well as older persons and particularly refers to what may be termed an acrobatic type of toy swing.

The object of the invention is to provide a novel form of toy swing having two handle bars with properly balanced figures pivotally mounted upon each bar and located distant from, the top cross bar or point of suspension of the swing so that they will be free to swing around their respective handle bars independent of, but in imitation of each other and without in any manner contacting with any other part of the device; further to provide a standard including flexible posts with a top horizontal cross bar from which the swing is pivotally hung and whereby the device may be made to sway slightly to and fro with the movement of the swing and in a manner to render better and more effective action to the figures carried by the swing, and finally to design the device so that it can be made of inexpensive metal and largely of light wire bent and twisted to form the novel construction.

WVith these and other objects in view the invention resides and consists in the construction and novel combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter more fully described, illustrated in the accompanying drawings, and pointed out in the claims hereto appended, it being understood that various changes in the form, proportion, size and minor details of construction within the scope of the claims may be resorted to without departure from the spirit or sacrificing any of the advantages of the invention.

Similar characters of reference denote like or corresponding parts throughout the several figures of the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification, and upon which,

Figure 1 shows a perspective view of my improved form of toy acrobat swing as it would appear when in operation, and

C. Hown, a citi- Specification of Letters Eatent. Patented NOV. 29, 1917. Application filed March 21, 1917. Serial No. 156,444.

Fig. 2 is a detail plan View of one of the arm portions of the swing including one of the acrobatic figures pivotedly mounted thereon. v j I Referring in detail to the characters of reference marked upon the drawings 5 indicates a base which as shown is formed of two posts are connected by a horizontal cross bar 8 forming a pivot upon which the swing proper is hung. These posts 7-7 are preferably formed of flexible wire so as to'not form a rigid support, but one which will yield slightly with the movement of the swing and therefore effect a quicker return movement of the swing with a bit more action or snap to the figures than would be the case were the posts rigid.

The swing proper is preferably formed of wire and in detail may possess any suitable number of pieces, but must include the two oppositely located handle bars 9 and 10 upon which the acrobatic figures 11 and 12 are pivotally supported. These handle bars are located forward and aft of the central hangers 1313 pivotally connected at their top end 14 to the horizontal bar 8. Suitable collars 15 are preferably placed upon the outer end portions of this horizontal bar 8 and adjacent the hangers 13 to hold their upper end portions in position. To the lower end of these hangers 1313 is connected a. rectangular frame portion 17 of the swing which includes the two parallel handle bars 9 and 10 before mentioned. The upper ends of the braces 18 and 19 are connected to the intermediate portion of the hangers 13 and their lower ends are similarly secured to the intermediate portion of the side bars 17 of the'frame, to better support the two outer or handle bars of the swing as will be obviously apparent. The swing thus described, when in position of rest, hangs evenly balanced between the side post 77 so that the hangers 13 aline therewith, while the elongated frame portion assumes a true horizontal position with the figures mounted in an upright position upon the handle bars forming the neutral or intermediate position.

The figures are formed of one thickness of sheet metal and in order to make them attractive may be fancifully decorated to imitate clowns, animals, birds or the like, Each figure is soldered or otherwise at tached to a sheet metal frame 20 having end portions with holes therethrough to receive, fit and turn upon the handle bars 9 and 10 before mentioned. This construction forms two bearings on each handle bar for each figure, said bearings being distant from the figures so as to better support the same. The swing operates by its own momentum after being shoved or started which in practice may be accomplished by simply taking hold of one of the figures, or one end portion of the frame 17, and drawing it up above the cross bar and then releasing and allowing it to drop and swing backward and forward from the horizontal bar and between the side posts. The minute the swing is released as above and begins to descend the figures begin to turn around their handle bars and between the sides 17 and for the the most part operate more or less alike and in imitation of each other. They are so nearly balanced that they cease to perform at about the same-moment. By reason of the flexibility of the post the upper end portion is permitted to bend slightly with the forward and backward movement of the swing. This bend or yield of the posts serves to effect a reaction upon the backward movement of the swing thereby giving added momentum to the figures and in a way insures an increased action to the figures just at the moment when the high figure is descending and the lower figure is rising.

Gopics of this patent may be obtained for Having thus described my invention what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is 1. In a toy swing of the class described, the combination of a base, a standard detachably connected thereto and including two side posts and a cross bar, a swing hung from the cross bar and having two handle bars spaced apart and from the cross bar, and a figure or figures pivotally mounted upon each of said handle bars.

2. In a toy swing of the class described, the combination of a base, a standard connected thereto and including two flexible side posts and a cross bar, a swing hung from the cross bar and having two handle bars spaced apart and from the cross bar, and a figure or figures pivotally mounted upon each of said handle bars.

3. In a toy swing of the class described, the combination of a base, a standard detachably connected thereto and including two side posts and a cross bar, a swing hung from the cross bar and including a rectangular frame having a handle bar at each end, and a figure or figures pivotally mounted upon each of said handle bars.

4. In a toy swing of the class described, the combination of a base, a standard connected thereto and including two side posts and a cross bar, a swing hung from the cross bar and having two handle bars spaced apart, and a figure or figures secured to frames having bearings upon each end to engage the handle bars distant from the figure.

Signed at New Haven, in the county of New Haven and State of Connecticut, this 7th day of March, A. D. 1917.

FRED C. HOWE.

Witnesses:

M. H. KENEALY, W. C. ALLEN.

five cents each, by addressing the Gommissioner of Batenta. Washington, D. @n 

